New England Patriots - NESN.com
The Patriots had a tremendously productive offseason, but it wasn’t exactly perfect.
New England kickstarts mandatory minicamp on Monday, with the entire roster expected to be on-site for the team’s final three practices this spring — including their veteran additions. Stefon Diggs, Carlton Davis, Milton Williams and Morgan Moses will be names to watch as they lead from the front at their respective positions.
Do they have the benefit of a veteran sliding in and taking control at left guard, though?
The Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan shared that they actually do on Monday, with free-agent addition Wes Schweitzer and former first-round pick Cole Strange taking the majority of snaps in that spot. It’s not exactly the same as some of those other examples, though, which is, to use a word that was tossed out in his “Pats Interference” podcast this week, “concerning.”
The Patriots were, according to multiple reports since the draft, looking to take offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea at No. 38 before he was snatched away by the Miami Dolphins. New England ended up with running back TreVeyon Henderson, which wasn’t viewed as a need prior to the draft and seemed to be an example of taking the best player available.
Where do things go from here?
Schweitzer and Strange will be cross-trained to play multiple positions, but the hope seems to be that one will take control at left guard. Layden Robinson and Tyrese Robinson have experience at the position, and could be decent options should one of them take a step forward in this system.
Brandon Scherff is a free agent, so perhaps they aren’t done making big-name signings.
It’ll remain to be seen how this particular spot is approached into the summer, but for our money, the lack of a concrete plan is rather concerning.
